Cody Mauch was overjoyed after getting picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday. And when the 24-year-old offensive lineman smiled, he was missing two front teeth.
Most Famous Smile
Mauch’s long-standing signature look, combined with his flowing red hair, may make him appear more like a hockey player or a Night’s Watch member from “Game of Thrones.” But he’ll soon have one of the most famous smiles in NFL history, joining the league’s gap-toothed Michael Strahan in the dental pantheon.
Mauch was taken by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draught with the 48th overall choice. The 6-foot-5, 302-pound tackle told reporters that he lost his two front teeth when he collided with a friend while diving for a loose ball during a basketball game in middle school. Attempts to repair them necessitated multiple visits to the orthodontist.
What Did Cody Mauch Said?
Source: CNN
“I went through the process of trying to fix them with braces, retainers, these little flippers… all kinds of stuff,” Mauch explained to reporters at the NFL Combine. “And eventually, I kept breaking and losing my retainers all the time, and my mom would get so frustrated with me because I had to keep going back to the orthodontist.” And soon, I just quit wearing them and accepted the no-two-front-teeth appearance.”
Mauch was a walk-on at North Dakota State as a 221-pound tight end before gaining 80 pounds to become an offensive lineman. He’ll now join the Buccaneers as pass protection for Tom Brady’s replacement, Baker Mayfield.
While the Buccaneers have lost Brady’s million-dollar smile, his pearly whites are far more common than Mauch’s lack of them. He can even carry off the pirate look as a member of the Buccaneers.
Is He Going To Get His Teeth Fixed?
“I say I’ll get them fixed after football, but I’m not sure if I ever will,” Mauch told reporters. “I don’t mind it at all, and it’s kind of like a part of me, I guess.” Expect toothpaste endorsements to begin soon.
Read Also: Jersey Shore Star Angelina Pivarnick Gets Engaged to Vinny Tortorella
